Biggest Holiday Shopping Event, Doubled

Shopapalooza Festival 2016
More than 130 local artists, shops, food truck and nonprofits
Music, entertainment and special exhibits including Kids Zone; Planet Fun and Artists’ Village! And one lucky shopper will win $500! Enter at LocalShops1.com/win500

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla — ‘Palooza Season is here again! LocalShops1 is excited to announce that this year’s holiday shopping extravaganza is bigger than ever, with more than 130 local artists, businesses, non-profits, and community organizations participating each festival day: Nov. 19 & 26.

Shopapalooza Festival takes place from 10 am to sunset in downtown St Petersburg’s South Straub Park, between the Museum of Fine Arts and the St Pete Yacht Club. Admission is free, and though registration is not required, shoppers are invited to do so at LocalShops1.com/Win500 for an opportunity to win ‘Palooza Bucks and $500 cash.

Shopapalooza Festival, known as Tampa Bay’s Local Alternative to Black Friday, features swag, sales, raffles and prizes from more than 130 independently owned businesses and artists in the Tampa Bay region. The event also features live entertainment, demonstrations, live painting and more. Specialty sections include:
Dream Catchers, a community art project organized by artist/muralist Tanya Pistillo, aka The Wandering Star.

The Tampa Bay Etsy Red Carpet, with more than a dozen local artists and crafters with one-of-a-kind pieces, in addition to dozens more artists scattered throughout the park, including some painting live!
Kids’ Village, filled with games and entertainment sponsored by Great Explorations Children’s Museum Nov 19 & La Dee Da Kids Spa Nov 26

Acrobatics by Cirque City (Nov 19 only)

Music Stage, with the team of DJ MC White, along with performances by Competitive Dance Edge Academy.
Also new this year: LocalShops1, which produces Shopapalooza Festival, is issuing $1,000 in Palooza Bucks, and giving shoppers one or two each, while supplies last, to be spent at participating vendors during both days of the festival. And one lucky shopper will be awarded a $500 Cash Prize to continue shopping local for the holidays! To learn more and enter to win, go to LocalShops1.com/Win500.

“Shopapalooza is a way to celebrate and spotlight the great independent businesses that make Tampa Bay such an amazing place,” says Ester Venouziou, LocalShops1 founder. “It gives consumers the opportunity to kick off the holiday shopping season by shopping locally!”

For more information, contact Ester Venouziou at ester@localshops1.com or go to ShopapaloozaFestival.com.

Shopapalooza, now in its seventh year, is a production of LocalShops1 and sponsored by the City of St. Petersburg. The event helps benefit and spotlight local businesses as well as local nonprofits, including our partners Chart 411 and Earth Day St Pete. This year’s sponsors include Moorman Photographics, Great Exploration Children’s Museum, and La Dee Da Kids Spa. Sponsors for our VIP Party at Sunken Gardens include Smokin’ J’s BBQ and Pipo’s Cuban Cafe.

For updated list of vendors and other information, please go to ShopapaloozaFestival.com.